Skip To Main Content
Skip To Main Content

John Carroll University Athletics

home of the Blue Streaks
Matthew Aukerman
Matthew Aukerman starts game one of the season and earning the win
11
Winner John Carroll JCU 1-0
10
Allegheny ALL 0-1
Winner
John Carroll JCU
1-0
11
Final
10
Allegheny ALL
0-1
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
John Carroll JCU 1 0 0 1 4 0 1 4 0 11 11 3
Allegheny ALL 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 4 4 10 14 4

W: Darrow, Henry (1-0) L: C. Deasy (0-1)

Game Recap: Baseball | | Garrett Siegel, Staff Writer

Baseball Opens 2023 Season With Thrilling Win Over Allegheny

BECKLEY, W.Va. -- Following a lengthy rain delay, the John Carroll baseball team began their 2023 season with a nail-biting 11-10 victory against the Allegheny Gators.

Saturday's contest started hot for the Blue Streaks. Following a hard earned two out walk by Bryce Holt, a Jared Orwell double allowed for Holt to reach home and bring in the first Blue Streak run of the season in the top of the first. 

Allegheny quickly responded with an RBI single of their own from Tyson Bryant-Dawson to tie the game up at 1-1. Following a couple of stolen bases from Bryant-Dawson and Brenden Gray, the Gators were threatening to take the lead with men on first and third base with just one out. However, John Carroll's Matthew Aukerman was able to settle in and earn the final two outs to keep the game even at one apiece. 

The pitching ramped up on both sides as Allegheny's Conor Deasy and Aukerman traded sharp innings at the mound. Innings three and four were much of the same as both teams struggled to generate much offense off of these pitchers. 

JCU took the lead to break the tie on a steal of home by Connor Mayle. Michael Persichetti was stealing second on the play, and Mayle was able to advance on the throw to make it 2-1. 

The Blue Streak offense found life in the top of the fifth from Erik Daugenti landing a safety squeeze allowing Bryce Holt to score.  Moments later, Luke Chlystek had an RBI single of his own to score Daugenti and Jared Orwell. Logan LaMere then brought him home with a single of his own to bring the score to 6-1. After two outs in the fifth Aukerman was replaced by fellow senior Henry Darrow. Darrow got a fielder's choice to complete the shutdown inning for JCU.

Both teams had a scoreless sixth, but then the scoring ramped up quickly. John Carroll added a run to their lead with a fielder's choice from Persichetti, beating out a would-be double play allowing Daugenti to score. Allegheny struck back with a run of their own to make the score 7-2 with two innings to go.

John Carroll padded their lead to begin the eighth inning. With bases loaded, Daugenti struck again with an RBI single allowing Holt and Sean Connolly to score. A couple batters later, Daugenti was able to reach home following an error from the second baseman to make it 11-2 with six outs to go.

After allowing a couple base runners in the eighth Darrow was pulled for sophomore Austin Miller. Miller struck out the first batter he faced in his JCU career, but then gave up two hits and an error in right field made it 11-6 going into the ninth. The Blue Streaks went scoreless in the ninth and sent in junior Sylvan Wiley to shut the door. 

Wiley got two quick strikeouts but the Gators found life despite being down to their last out. With three hits and a walk, the tying run was at the plate. The Gators got a fourth hit with two outs to make it 11-9 with runners on the corners. A ball was then hit into right field, and all signs pointed to an 11-10 game and a potential for extra innings, but the Allegheny runner that was on first got stuck in between second and third. A relay from Sean Connolly, to Persichetti, to Mayle, got the runner out at third base to end the game and stop the nail-biter for the Blue Streaks. 

This was the first game the Blue Streaks had played in Beckley since 2020 after opening their season there in six of the previous eight seasons before.

Due to rain, the game did not start until 4 pm creating a double-header scheduled for February 26th. Since it is a travel day for both teams from the neutral site, game one will be a seven-inning game, and game two will be nine innings. Game one is set to start at 11 am. JCU will be home in game one and away in game two. 
Print Friendly Version

Sponsors